Panel structure, particularly letterboard for railway cars



Nov. 20, 1956 R. FUCHS ETAL 2,771,041

PANEL STRUCTURE, PARTICULARLY LETTERBOARD FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Dec. 28, 195Q 3 11 32 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS I Reinhard Fuchs BY Edward .1. H'o'chrei terf ATTORNE Y Nov. 20, 1956 R. FUCHS ETAL 2,771,041

PANEL STRUCTURE, PARTICULARLY LETTERBOARD FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Dec. 28,- 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQRS- Remhard 1 mb; Edward J-Hochmikm SWIM AGENT United States Pmmo STRUCTURE, PARTICULARLY LETTER- BOARD FOR RAILWAY CARS Application December 28, 1950, Serial No. 203,132

1 Claim. 01. 105-401 PANEL The invention relates to panel structures comprising a smooth, generally plane outer sheet and a framework to which the sheet is attached. Such structures are presented by certain types of letterboards and deadlights in railway cars and similar vehicle bodies.

The object of the invention is to overcome objectionable features of known structures of the indicated type. Such features consist in quilting effects and wrinkling of the smooth sheet upon its attachment to the members of the framework.

The object of the invention is achieved by giving the attachment surfaces of the frame members a slight outward crown which is imparted to the sheet upon its securement to said members, the crowning being so small that the surface of the sheet appears to the eye practically plane.

The above and other objects and features of the invention are more fully disclosed in connection with the embodiment illustrated in the attached drawing and described in the following.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a passenger railway car;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary exploded elevation of the left-hand part of the body shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation, on a larger scale, of the body region enclosed by dot-and-dash line 3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section, on a still larger scale,

along line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary inside perspective of the body region shown in Figure 4 and covering longitudinally several window openings and the posts between them;

Figure 6 is a large scale perspective, fragmentarily sectionalized, of the upper end of a body post;

Figure 7 is a horizontal fragmentary section on a larger scale, along line 77 of Figure 2 through the end post members; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic section through one of the posts and through dies for forming it in accordance with the invention.

The railway car illustrated in the drawing is of sheet metal construction. It comprises side walls 10 (only one shown) and a transversely arched roof 11. Walls 10 and roof 11 are pre-assembled as shown in Figure 2 and then connected with each other in final assembly to form the structure shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5.

The illustrated side wall 10 includes post members 12, 13, 14, 15, and'16 in the end regions (Figure 2); these posts are of inwardly facing channel section and are interconnected by their adjoining side walls 17 so that their bottom walls 18 form together a solid panel. The end posts are shown (at the left) for the non-vestibule end only; however a similar series of posts will usually be provided (at the right) adjoining the vestibule end of the car. Between the ends of the car, the side wall has pairs of posts 19 arranged between window openings 20. Posts 12 to 16and 19 are interconnected by deadlight 21 between and around the'window openings 20, and furthermore by upper chord structures 22, bottom sill 23, lower side panel 24, and belt rail 25. Each post 19 is of channel section with a transversely extending bottom wall 26, an inner wall 27, and an outer wall 28.

Roof unit 11 comprises on each side a roof sleeper 29, interconnected by transversely arched carlines 30 and longitudinally corrugated roof sheathing 31 secured to sleepers and carlines 30. The roof unit comprises, furthermore, a letterboard 32 in the form of a smooth continuous web or sheet. The letterboard 32 is secured to and projects downwardly beyond sleeper 29 and sheathing 31, and has its lower margin connected with molding 33. The drawing, particularly Figures 4 and 5, shows one side only of the roof, but obviously the roof will mostly be constructed symmetrically about its longitudinal center line.

The general construction of a railway car as described so far is known. Its modification in accordance with the invention will now be described.

While ordinarily the posts 12 to 16 and 19 have constant cross-section over their entire height, the illustrated posts have their outer walls 18 and 28, respectively, deformed in the upper regions serving for the attachment of letterboard 32. This deformation is such as to produce a shallow outward crown, Figures 4 and 5. The pitch or depth X of this crown is preferably of the order of for a letterboard of about 12" width. When letterboard 32 is attached to the crowned surfaces of the posts by spot welds 34, it is forced to assume the same curvature. This has the effect that the rows of attachment welds 34 between board 32 and posts will not produce objectionable quilting effects and wrinkles on the outside. On the other hand, the crowning of the letterboard is so small that the eye will scarcely detect it and the letterboard will appear as if it were practically plane.

The crowned portions of the posts should preferably not extend to the adjoining transverse walls 17 and 26, respectively, of the posts but should stop at a short distance from the post edges 35 (Figures 6, 7, and 8). This greatly facilitates the formation of the crowned portions after the posts have previously been given their normal cross-section.

In the end regions of the car, the crowning fades gradually out in outboard direction as shown in Figure 7. The inboard posts 14, 15, 16 have crowns of normal depth extending to a vertical plane indicated by dot-anddash line 36. The next post 13 has a crown of normal configuration but of slightly less depth. The crown of last post 12 is still less deep than the crown of post 13 and tapers out altogether in outboard direction. Panel 32 is secured to members 12 to 16 by rows of spot welds (not shown).

While the drawing illustrates only the conditions at the left hand, non-vestibule end of the car, a corresponding construction is preferably employed at and adjoining the right hand, vestibule end.

The same type of crowning is imparted to the intermediate post or frame members 37, one of which is shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 and in full lines in Figure 5. Such members are likewise connected to panel 32 by a row of spot welds as indicated in the drawing.

Figure 8 illustrates a convenient way of forming the crowned portions on prefabricated posts of constant cross-section. Mating upper and lower dies 38, 39 are shaped for movement at about 45 with respect to bottom wall 26 of a post 19 placed between them. While the portions of the dies engaging bottom wall 26 and post corner 35 are substantially straight and plane in longitudinal direction, the portions of the dies acting on outer post wall 28 are curved in longitudinal direction commensurate with the length and the depth of the desired crown, and commensurate with any spring-back that is to be expected.

The depth of the crown may be selected within limits. It is found, for instance, that for a letterboard of 12" width, a depth of A is still acceptable.

The most important field of application for the invention is for smooth letterboards or other longitudinal panels in which quilts and wrinkles would be very conspicuous. The invention is, however, applicable to other structures; it may, for instance, be applied to deadlights 21 and their attachment to the posts.

The invention is susceptible to further modifications and adaptations. The crowning may, for instance, be imparted to the frame members while giving them their cross-sectional form.

What is claimed is:

.In a railway car, a wall structure comprising spaced frame members, said members having a first wall extending in the general direction of said structure and an adjoining second wall extending transversely thereto, said first wall being outwardly crowned to a shallow depth over part of its length and over part of its width to the exclusion of a narrow strip along the meeting edge betweensaid two walls, and an outwardly smooth panel secured to said members throughout said crowned parts thereof. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 854,331 Christianson May 21, 1907 1,472,128 Manly et a1. Oct. 30, 1923 1,643,742 Ledwinka Sept. 27, 1927 2,035,113 Blomberg Mar. 24, 1936 2,074,433 Schlesinger Mar. 23, 1937 2,106,602 Hunter Jan. 25, 1938 2,190,334 Nystrom Feb. 13, 1940 2,223,746 Stoner Dec. 3, 1940 2,282,823 Piron May 12, 1942 2,291,621 Gunn Aug. 4, 1942 2,314,979 Gunn Mar. 30, 1943 2,387,134 Fox Oct. 16, 1945 2,410,191 West Oct.29, 1946 2,502,703 Chaplin Apr. 4, 1950 2,504,111 Dean Apr. 18, 1950 

